“We are synergistic with traditionalgolf,” Anderson said. “Golf is goingthrough transitions just like other indus-tries. Its great to see all the innovativethings. We think we are working with agreat game.”are featured, such as Top Score, where youtry to get as close as possible the target far-thest away.

“Originally, the idea was you couldget feedback for practice,” said ErikAnderson, Topgolf’s executive chairman.“As it evolved, it moved more into socialentertainment, a sports entertainmentexperience. Friends compete, watch TVand engage in social media. All thosethings happen at once.”As a result, Topgolf has attracted a mixof golfers and non-golfers, many of whomare millennials. It is introducing thou-sands to the game of golf.

Londoners Steve and Dave Jolliffe created Topgolf in 2000 as a way to make the
golf range experience more fun.

Anderson came onboard about 10 years
ago, when he was serving as managing
partner for West River Capital, a venture
capital firm. West River, along with Dallas
businessman Tom Dundon and Calloway
Golf, were among the investors that purchased the company from the Jolliffes.

“We spent some time perfecting the
model — we learned a lot,” Anderson said.

The model offers customers whatAnderson calls a “parallel experience.”“Golf is linear,” he said. “You go fromthe first hole to the 18th, and then you talkabout it. Topgolf is very parallel. You’resocializing, watching TV [while you playgolf].”The concept has attracted millenni-als — many of whom have never set footon a golf course. Topgolf offers them thekind of experience they are drawn to —kinetic, socially engaging, fun. As muchas 50 percent of customers are millenni-als, Anderson said.

“They don’t want to get away fromthings,” Anderson said. “They want toembrace, to be more engaged and involvedwith more people.”Topgolf — which is growing rapidly —has been a hit with golfers as well. It stilltakes skill to score well. It’s a place wheregolfers feel comfortable taking non-golf-ers because the experience is fun for all.It’s not like taking them to a golf course,

No. 2 & 3

RICK FARRANT
CEO
GreatLife Golf & Fitness
Topeka, Kan.

TOM WALSH

CEO
GreatLife Malaska Golf &
Fitness Club
Sioux Falls, S.D.

It’s no secret that many clubs have added
fitness centers. For some members,
it’s one of the more important amenities offered. However, Rick Farrant has
taken that concept to the max.

Under his model, members have
access to a network of fitness centers
and golf courses at a low monthly price
— as little as $29.99 for an individual.
For that price, you can play as much
golf as you want. And take as many spin
classes as you can.

In no time, you’ll be as lean and as
good at golf as Rory Mcllroy. (No, not
really...)

The first time Farrant incorporatedfitness into a club and offered low-cost fees, he saw membership blossomto more than 1,000, he said. “I said tomyself, ‘This is kind of cool.’”Actually, very much so. Since start-ing in the Topeka, Kan., area, he hasbranched out and now has more than
40 courses. He’s taken some coursesthat were in bankruptcy and made themthriving enterprises again. The revenuethat the fitness centers bring in hashelped him improve the golf courses,making them more attractive for play.

Plus, the fitness centers, unlike golfcourses, can remain open all year, mak-ing the memberships more appealing.Indeed, the fitness component is some-times more valued by the customerthan the golf, he said.

“We have golf courses that have fit-ness centers,” he said. “And then wehave locations where the main attrac-tion is fitness and the amenity happensto be golf.”It was no problem getting young peo-ple into the fitness centers, which boastthe latest equipment. The golf courses?That was a different story. Like manyoperators, Farrant found that youngpeople were not taking up the game ofgolf. However, because the membershipprice is so affordable and golf is avail-able, he found that a number of peoplewould experiment with it.

And guess what. “Now they’re avidgolfers,” he said. “We’re all in thistogether. We’re all trying to figure outways to bring golf back.”He’s working to franchise his concept.He’s adjusted his business plan over theyears and now has it down to prettymuch a mathematic formula.

“I’ve been doing it for 20 years and
made a lot of mistakes,” he said. “You
Rick Farrant Tom Walsh